The Mysterious Ring
by AnimeRat
Summary: At that time, Saito couldn't bring himself to propose marriage to Louise. Little did he know, that he might never get a second chance.
1. Synopsis

**As you see, I decided to publish my first fan fiction attempt but before going in the story I beg you to listen what I have to say:**

**At first I want to thank certain people for being inspirational for my story: sweetwithobsessions Zero No Tsukaima`s story Switched encouraged me to write my own story so I will suggest you to read her story as well. Also champcuute reserves high gratitude for her positive spirit and good stories. **

**And Lastly, I want to thank everyone who has helped me with my story. My beta reader dancing elf did a really good job beta reading my story. **

**So hopefully you will have as much fun reading my story as I did have writing it. And if you have time to leave a review after you have finished with the chapter 1 I would be the most grateful.**

**Yours Truly**

**AnimeRat **

For many people, the name Halkeginia doesn't say or mean anything in particular, but for me, Hiraga Saito, it holds a special meaning. Yes, I was just an ordinary human on planet Earth and I thought I would die as one. But then one day my life got turned upside down when I was summoned as a familiar by a very peculiar mage, Louise Francoise Le Blanc De La Valliere. At first I couldn't think of anything other than returning home-until the most marvelous emotion took me over.

At that moment I realized that returning to earth without Louise would be meaningless. Without her I would just be an empty shell, having no purpose in life. Someone might be thinking that she used some kind of spell to control my emotions. But the only spell she ever used to conquer me was just honestly being herself. Her smile is enough to put my mind at ease and when I am with her I feel blessed. Then when I kiss her my body stiffens up and my arms embrace her so strongly, as if I am worried that a wind might blow her away from me.

And then the moment of truth came and I was prepared to ask her to marry me. But my body froze up and it felt like there was a dam blocking the stream of voice coming from my throat. I was like a statue, except my mind was falling into a state of chaos. It felt like I committed a crime and hell yes, I did. If I don't correct my mistake soon I think the memories will forever haunt me. But the day the "Great Parade for Victory over Ancient Dragon" was finally held the scoundrels appeared. By 'scoundrels' I mean the suitors.

Yes, after it became official knowledge that we slew the mightiest beast of all time, The Ancient Dragon, I believed all the hardships for us were gone. All our past adventures would become only memories. The past had not been a bed of roses for us, having felt the cold emotion of a near-death experience-seeing a close person getting hurt, or even worse, having to watch a person enter the realm from which no living being can return. When I lost my magical sword, Derflinger, I realized how important he was to me. Derflinger tutored me, sharing his wisdom with me through many strange phenomena of this magical world, Halkeginia.

Still, in the end, despite many friends, honorific titles and the fame I have got in this world, the only thing that will keep me living me here is Louise. Louise, who has many sides: she can be as sweet as a holy maiden, but when she is mad she makes even demons pale in comparison. I had a chance to ask her to marry me but I couldn't do it, and now I have to suffer the consequences. And I must be fast because the flies keep buzzing over Louise, and even some well-known noble families are interested in developing ties with the Valliere family.

But no matter what the situation, there is no way I would give up on Louise. I will face the worst they can do and overcome it. Whatever the future brings for me, I will never abandon Louise. That is why I, Hiraga Saito, live in Tristainia. And when I visit Earth the next time, I will surely take my future wife, Louise, with me. Yes, those are my dreams.

If I had only known what was about to happen next.

*Somewhere in the Albion*

"Sir, I never knew you were such a brilliant strategist: to first summon the Ancient Dragon, and then to use it as a way to observe their powers, searching for weaknesses," the mysterious figure said to a man who was dressed in a full-body, red robe.

"Actually, I had told them a white lie because the original plan was that the Ancient Dragon would terminate all the void mages and the kingdoms. They were stronger than I expected, but that just makes things more interesting for us. Because the realization of my dreams is drawing near! Finally, we can set this world free of this miserable state. Beware void mages: you will soon experience the true power of what love can do," said the man in the robe before he released a maniacal laugh.


	2. The Beginning

**Chapter 2 is finally here and I hope everyone is really eager to read it. But before you read it let this old fool to say some words:**

**At first I want to thank you for all the reviews, alerts and favorites I got from the first chapter. I got more feedback than I have ever dreamed about and it helped me to write the second chapter.**

**Then it was really nice to see that so many people from different countries have read my Fan fiction. It was really nice to see that there are interested people from all over the world.**

**At last I want to dedicate this story to everyone who have been helping me with writing this. I also want to dedicate this story to my Finnish Teacher who once said: "If you have writing block just starts writing anything you can think of. The more you write the more your motivation will grow and soon you forget that something blocked your writing in the first place."**

**Seems like I took more of your time what I intended to. So here is the reward for listening my ramblings. Enjoy and if you have time I ask you to leave a review. Have Fun**

**Disclaimer: I dont own Zero No Tsukaima.**

Chapter 2: Beginning

Somewhere in the Albion

Something unexpected was happening in a deserted mansion located in the countryside of Albion. The mansion, which once belonged to a very kind and noble man, was now just a fragment of its former self. The fame and glory had been replaced by decay. The mansion was tragically kissed goodbye when the owner, Duke Alexandros, went missing. Citizenry of the fiefdom loved the Duke so much that the news of his disappearance struck right at their hearts. The citizens sealed off the mansion and did not permit anyone other than the Duke to enter the building. Sadly, the duke was never seen again.

But today, one of the children in the village saw some figures moving towards the mansion. He couldn't tell who the strangers were, but he felt their mysterious aura. What could possibly bring adventurers to the building today, and especially at this time of night? Many of the villagers thought that it was treasure hunters again. Those beasts didn't respect any legacy, nor were they afraid of any curse. Disgracing their precious Duke's memory like that was an unspeakable crime, and the punishment would be severe. Surprisingly, the chieftain of the area called the angry mob off and then gave some bizarre explanations about heavenly punishment to justify her order. Just what in the world was happening in that ramshackle mansion?

Tristania's Royal Castle – Bedroom chamber

Saito's POV

It was a beautiful day-birds were singing and flowers were in full bloom. The sun was shining and the lake reflected the sunlight onto Louise's face. I embraced the maiden gently with my arms as I heard her soft giggles. The sound was heavenly, bringing a genuine smile to my face. I felt her head leaning against my shoulder as she whispered magical words in my ear. Before I even noticed, my lips were moving toward her sparkling lips, and as our lips were about to meet Louise suddenly transformed into Julio, sharply bringing me back to cruel reality.

"The lover boy is finally awake, I see," The Romalian boy said and laughed before continuing, "I had no idea I was so attractive that even the mighty Gandalfr wants to kiss me."

This has to be one of the most embarrassing situations I have ever faced. Of course it's my luck that Julio hears me sleep talking and then even experiences me trying to kiss him. I act quickly and throw a pillow at that Flamen jerk. Sadly, he saw the pillow coming and avoided it.

"They say that even a horse will kick out of love," he says and winks at me. It might be hard to believe that we are close friends-sometimes even I have problems believing it. He might be a little snobby at times, but when you get to know him you realize that he is a really trustworthy guy. Then there are times when he is like this.

"So, now you are spacing out, huh? Are you speechless because I am so astonishingly handsome?" Chesare said with a smirk. That smirk caused me to lose my cool and I jumped out of my bed straight at him, uttering reasons in a cold manner: "First, I was dreaming about Louise and you, out of all people, should know that! Second, why would I fall in love with a jerk that is obsessed with beasts and serves as a Flamen in the land of Romalia?

"Calm down! I was just trying to lighten the mood because you looked so cranky yesterday," he said, surprisingly calm despite the situation.

"So I take it that you usually sneak into your friend's rooms early in the morning to look at their sleeping faces, and then move your face inches away from their faces just because you want to cheer them up? That sounds really believable to me!"

Julio acted like my words crushed him, so I had to apologize to him. Then without a warning he started talking about the reason he come here, and I remembered why I was irritated yesterday. Yes, he wanted to talk about Louise, my precious mage, Louise.

Somewhere in Albion

"I see the goddess is smiling upon us because everyone made it here safely," said a man in a red robe to the other figures that were in the room. There was a little silence, but it ended when the man started to speak again: "Now is the time to start the meeting of the Brotherhood of Lost Truth. The last events have been really ominous for our Brotherhood. The avatar of our goddess-Elemental Dragon-has been slain by the horrendous power of the enemy. I know that there is fear in your hearts, but together we will overcome those emotions. Together we shall create our dream world, and in the future we will enjoy the fruit of happiness!" When the speaker finished his speech the crowd responded with a large amount of praises.

"We are like pirates searching for treasures-totally at the mercy of the wind and never able to control it. The sea is always moving us, carrying our dreams toward the treasure. But when we found the treasure it wasn't gold coins, but a little stash of bronze ones. We were shocked at first, but then we looked toward the sea again and what did we see? The wind was raising one more, and in the distance we saw our dreams of the same treasure. The sea will always take us on to new adventures, fueling our dreams and ambitions," the man spoke, then continued his sermon:

"We are sailors in the sea of dreams. The wind is the cruel reality that strikes us down from time to time. The sea is the path which carries us towards our glorious destination. The treasure chest is the dream we are chasing. Sometimes we thought we acquired it, only to discover that it wasn't the true treasure. That is the reason why we shall never give up pursuing our dream-because someday, positively, we will make it happen. We have the treasure map in our hands, and now it is time to show it to you!" That ended the sermon the man in the robe gave, for which he received high praise from the other members.

Tristania's Royal Castle – Bedroom Chamber

Saito's POV

"While I was walking in the corridors this morning I overheard a couple of nobles talking about Louise's marriage. They were discussing a rumor that even the Artemisia family is interested in Louise," Julio said in a really serious tone of voice. I was just about to ask Julio about the Artemisia family, but before I could speak, a letter came in through the slit of the door. The letter, to speak of the devil, was from the Artemisia family.

But what really shocked me was the message:

To Saito Chevalier de Hiraga-Dono

Greetings

Even writing a letter to a legendary hero like you is a massive honor for us. The Artemisia Family is pleased to know that your highness opened our letter. We wanted to present all the information we have to you because we want to make sure you receive all the fame that you deserve. According to our information sources, Queen Henrietta loves you with all her heart and we think you would be a perfect partner for her. With the Artemisia and the de Valliere families backing you up, there isn't anything that can stop you from becoming the King. That would clearly be the rightful honor for your good deeds, Mr. Hiraga Saito.

Yours Truly

The Artemisia Family

I had to read the letter twice before I could understand the point of it. Then I felt anger strongly rising within me and I completely lost it. I ripped that freaking letter into a million pieces and then I stomped on all the pieces with my feet. After that process there were no traces left of the letter and I felt relieved.

'One of the things that still irritate me in this world is the noble class,' I thought to myself. 'They are always acting so highly, thinking they are the mightiest creatures in the world. Even love and marriage are just games to play-controllable phenomena. They believe they have the right to do whatever they please because they are superior people. Can you even be more hypocritical than the nobles are?'

Then Julio's voice woke me up from my trance. "Just what was written in the letter that caused you to lose your head for a little while?" Julio asked me in a curious tone.

"You know that curiosity killed the cat!" I said forcefully, then I burst out laughing when I saw shear amazement on his face because of my last reply. "That letter was an abomination. Just act like you never saw that letter at all. It suggested that I should do an utterly disgraceful thing. As a man, my pride would never allow that. If I did as they suggested, I couldn't call myself a man-I would only be a clown."

"Hear me Artemisia family and all other nobles in this world: you can offer me enough gold for a lifetime; you can drown me with your titles and standings; you can promise me millions of hot girls or build statues in my honor-but without Louise, all of those inducements are meaningless. They are like the magical tricks from my world: they look stunning at first, but then you discover that they are only fakes. So come at me with all of your might and power to try me, but I promise my love for Louise will never fade away."


	3. The Revelations

**Hello, I am back once again, after a quite long break, because I had to attend my family's cycling trip. After that I hung out with my friends because the summer holiday is coming to an end and I hadn't seen my friends in quite a while. That's why I've been slow to update my story.**

**Now that I've explained the reasons why I haven't updated, it's time to get back to the story. Chapter three is a rather long chapter and I did have a really nice time writing it. I would love to let you participate more in the elements of my story, and at this time I want to ask your opinions about side pairings. Would you like to see some other side pairings in this story, or should I keep it strictly about Saito's and Louise's relationship?**

**And I also want to thank everyone from the bottom of my heart that has read, reviewed, favorited, and/or put this story on alert. I really can't thank you enough. That's enough with the boring blabbering…now it's time to present the third chapter of my story. Please enjoy. **

Chapter 3:

The Revelations

**Somewhere in the country of Albion**

When your eyes get used to the faint lightness, you notice there is a total of eleven figures in the cavity. The strong smell of soil hints that the room is located underground. When you look closer you see stone arches holding up a mossy ceiling that looks like it could come down at any time. Rotten wooden pillars are supporting the walls, and the floor is completely covered with litter. You can also hear rats scurrying there from time to time.

Even though the features of the space appear to be quite abnormal and disgusting, it seems like the figures are enjoying the gloomy atmosphere that the chamber radiates. Then you might spot something very surprising: although everything else is old and rotten, the furniture the figures are using looks rather new and stylish. It looks almost like some sort of magic has been used to create the room.

Suddenly one person raises his hand and silence overtakes the room once again. Everybody in the chamber turns their attention to the rather tall man who cleared his throat for the upcoming speech. The man claps his hands and the lifeless darkness is replaced by sparkling lightness. With light filling the cavity, you can finally study the participant's looks. At first it might be hard to believe your eyes because the clothing of the characters is really bizarre.

One way to describe their attire is to say that it looks like a combination of Circus costumes with art-exhibition regalia. Despite all the differences in the garments, one common thing connects them – all of them wear the same kind of cloak. But the most peculiar attire is worn by the man who is just starting to speak. He has a green, alien-like beard. Both of his chins bear a symbol of three orange-colored lines. His nose is really small and the darkness of his eyes gives the impression of twin black holes. Rumor tells that if you look into his eyes too much, they will suck your life right out of you. There is a huge scar on his forehead and a black turban encircles his head.

"Fellow men and women of the brotherhood; as you have heard from brother Alexandros, our plan has suffered from several hardships, but there is no need to worry! We have already set new plans in motion, and we still have many huge advantages on our side. Let me share with you the plan that will lead us in the glorious path of our idealistic future!"

**At Tristania's Royal Castle**

Saito's POV

After reading the letter, I got a sudden urge to go see Louise and declare that she belongs to me, so I parted ways with the lunatic knight Julio and started my journey to Louise's room. But that is easier said than done, because the castle is an enormous maze-like a pyramid-and it's hard to find your way around the castle. Luckily, I am pretty popular with ladies, too, so I encountered some maids that were really eager to help me. Hopefully, Louise won't encounter me right now.

"It's my pleasure to help you, Hiraga-Dono," one of the maids said and smiled towards me.

"Thank you so very much," I said as I smiled for the maids. Some of them squealed from happiness.

"So where can we guide you, Hiraga-Dono, or do you need another kind of guiding service?" One maid with a rather developed body asked me and blushed.

"E-ehh…I just need some guiding to Louise's room, that's all," I said with a casual voice as possible. But speaking of the devil, there she was…but she not alone. She was like a light in the dark night dragging all those insects near her. Then that bastard really crossed the line. He took Louise's hand and kissed it while wearing a stupid, huge grin on his face.

Then Louise saw me with my companions and you could see the anger building up her body. You could almost feel the flames coming out of her body. But I was almost as angry as Louise, so I couldn't care less about the upcoming danger. Then I heard Louise's enraged voice and hoped for the best.

"You bloodsucking leech-acting like a dog in heat! You are already trying to fascinate other girls after I let you go for just one day!" Louise yelled at me with a hellish tone of voice.

"Just look at yourself! You are the one that is totally flattered by those guys fawning all over you, not me!" I yelled back with a pissed tone. No way am I giving this one up to Louise.

"How can you speak to your master like that? You are such an ungrateful dog barking all over this place!" The anger was in her voice, but there was also a bit of sadness. When she continued, I heard her faint, sad tone and it started to haunt me. There was already a storm in my head and the current turn of events encouraged that storm. "Just look at your perverted grin and the redness of your voice! Only Brimir would have known what could have happened if I hadn't stopped you."

"One key requirement of the master is to trust her familiar because otherwise there is no bond between them! I can't imagine how stupid you are for not trusting my feelings. You always keep blabbering about my behavior without trying to understand it. And the worst part of this is that you are surrounded with guys with a visible blush. I am getting tired of you playing with my feelings!" I screamed with agony. This conversation provoked me to lose my cool completely and I was just planning to apologize when Louise's last words pierced my heart.

"I am the one who is playing with the people's feelings? You are always full of sweet and mighty talk but in reality you act conversely. I have trusted you so many times and every time you betray me. How do you think I felt when I saw you kissing our Princess? I forgave you that time and how did you repay me – by kissing Tiffania! And after all that you think I should listen to your bizarre explanations and believe all your crap! Just go away from my sight you big traitor!" Louise yelled with a tear-filled voice then started to run away.

I realized the situation and spent no time in thinking and charged after her. Unfortunately, a boy about my age blocked my path and declared something with his cheesy voice.

**Somewhere in the country of Albion**

The man with a turban clapped his hands and another cloaked figure started to move. She took a harp from her backpack and started to play a song with beautiful melody.

"Gandalfr, God's left hand – The valiant shield of God; Windalfr, God's right hand – O God's gentle flute," the man sang in a voice sounding like a drunken amateur, earning some laughter for his prize.

"This version of the song is one part of our greatest achievement that we've earned through hard work. Yes, the melody of the song is genuine, but we have changed the lyrics to control the knowledge of the history. Whoever knows the history oversees the future and controls the present. For over five hundred years we have manipulated all facts of the history for our favor and now the time has come that only we know the genuine history," the man spoke with a confident and very calm voice.

"It's really impressive that we have manipulated and created false history, but how will that help us in practice?" A woman with flaming red-colored hair asked curiously and she didn't have to wait long for the answer.

"That's a really good question, indeed, and it does have a good point. Can something that has happened before in history really help us in the current time that much? You might first think it does not have any effect but when you think about it seriously, you realize the huge difference it makes. If they don't know history they won't know the nature of Brimir or the power of his possessions. They have no idea about the ways of magic that were discovered in the past and the possibilities of the legendary items. They have no idea what conflicts have happened in the past and what was the root of them! They don't know the right way to solve these problems, and most importantly, they don't know everything about void magic!"

There was a short break in the speech and it looked like everyone was impressed, like they had won a jackpot or the lottery. But soon the silence was broken once again by the same man as he continued his speech.

"Yes! We do possess secret, ancient knowledge about void magic that no other human beings on Halkeginia know, except for the mystical old sage and us. That knowledge is like a thunderstorm – at first it is only an irritating rain, but then it grows into a dangerous thunder shower. But even though the lightning hardly ever hits people, I can guarantee the thunderstorm we will create will force our enemies to beg for our mercy." The man's voice strengthened in the process and he howled the last words out, like a beast.

"I shall introduce to you once again, our leader, the fifth void mage of the continent of Halkeginia: Alexandros the Great."

**At Tristania's Royal Castle**

Louise's POV

I was running as fast as my legs could take me, but it felt like I was running up an infinitely long uphill road. My legs started to feel sore, but I still continued to run like there was no tomorrow. That big, idiotic, heated, backstabbing dog has no right to make me feel like that! I have no idea what he has on his mind, nor am I even sure that he does have a mind. I should have used an explosion to punish him for his barbaric behavior, but I was surrounded by high-ranking nobles and as a fellow aristocrat, I can't endanger them.

But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't put an end to the tears. Also, there was the feeling like someone was ripping my heart into little pieces. And suddenly I saw a flashback of Saito's charming smile and I almost stopped. Why would I feel these emotions for a tapeworm that keeps consuming my feelings as a lunch and then just slithers away to a new victim? I am a noble; a daughter of Duke de la Valliere, renowned aristocrat from Tristan. But suddenly I heard the sound of footsteps coming closer and closer so I looked behind me to see none other than Saito – man of mysteries.

Saito's POV

"Thou who made such a lovely lady cry deserve severe punishment from a fellow man! I shall protect my precious Miss de la Valliere and prevent a filthy man like you from causing any more pain to my beautiful flower."

Does he really think I have time to listen to his cheesy speech? The speech felt like it was taken from some romantic book, but his attire really surprised me. He had a deep-blue colored cloak which matches his hair color. He wore a red-colored vest, but he didn't have a common ruffled shirt under it. There was a black shirt that contained deep blue flames. That shirt was clearly from my world, and probably was some sort of treasure to his family.

But do I really have time to think about totally irrelevant stuff? The light of my tunnel is running away and I am just standing here doing nothing. The guy is standing in front of me and looking straight into my eyes. I don't see a magic wand in his hand, so now it's time to play everything or nothing.

General POV

Saito looked the guy straight in his eyes and breathed slowly before starting to move. The aristocrat tried to prepare himself for what was coming. First Saito stepped to the right side and when the noble countered Saito stepped quickly back to the left. The noble quickly leaned from his left but at the same time Saito sidestepped to the right and rotated his body with the right foot to pass by the noble. The noble was leaning left and saw Saito's moves too late; the combination of looking backwards while trying to rotate with his right leg caused him to lose his balance.

Passing the noble, Saito sprinted after Louise, but his problems didn't end there. The aristocrat had no intention on letting him go and took a magic wand from his cloak and started to chant a spell. Saito was trying to take Delfringher from his back but there was only emptiness. The sad memory weighted down his shoulders so much that losing another precious person would be just too cruel. But the casting of the spell broke his thinking down and he was back to the reality of standing against a mage without weapon. Not the world's luckiest situation.

Saito's POV

I looked instantly behind me when I heard the aristocrat chanting his spell and realized the situation I was in. Would this really be the ending point for me? One thing was clear: no way in hell would I give up here. Luckily, I saw light in the tunnel even though I couldn't tell if it was the exit or a train. I heard how the spell was coming toward me and prepared for the worst.

Julio's POV

Here I was alone, walking in the corridors, because that guy was too shy to trust his feelings for me. How couldn't he trust me, Julio Chesare, the master of the unpredictable as well as the most sinful man of Romalia? Or maybe he is bluffing me and is secretly in love with me. Yes, I am still a flamen, but in order to transfer to the magical academy I had to return to secular life-so now I can enjoy everything that a normal person can. Yes, the last half-year of school was going to be so much fun.

Then I arrived to a place where corridors crossed and was just thinking which one I should pick when I heard noises coming from the left corridor. It sounded like Lover Boy was in trouble again and he desperately needed the ordeal of love to come and save him. A grin developed on my face and I charged towards his voice.

Lady Luck was smiling upon me because I arrived at the right place at the right time. I ran toward the man that was lying on the ground and fancily performed a backflip over him so I was between him and Saito. I rotated 180 degrees, grinned toward the mage and blocked his spell with my sword.

"It's not fair to attack a man without weapon," I said while grinning and winked at the audience I had. Then I turned to Saito's side and sent him a flying kiss.

"Your princess is waiting for you, so you better hurry up, because I might try to steal her away," I said, then laughed. Saito was clearly still a bit shocked from my flashy appearance, but he mumbled how he owes me one and started to run away.

But my mission didn't end here because the aristocrat was already planning out his next move, and this time he wasn't alone. The other flies were joining forces with him and I realized that some of those guys weren't the ones you would like to encounter, even if you weren't alone.

Saito's POV

I released every bit of power I had to my legs and ran as fast as I could. I saw a hint of tears on the floor that gave me even more willpower to run. Then I saw bit of pink hair in front of me and I knew I was soon at my destination. I heard voices from behind that sounded like Julio getting beaten up. _I won't let your sacrifice go to waste, Julio,_ I thought and I kept drawing closer to Louise.

"Don't you dare to come any closer to me, you womanizer!" Louise screamed to me with a tear-filled voice. "If you still insist to come closer I will seriously use an explosion on you!" She yelled, this time with a bit of anger also in her voice. But still, despite all the threats, I kept running toward her, saying absolutely nothing. Words weren't needed in this situation-only actions could tell her how I truly feel.

Louise's POV

My legs were crumbling from the vigorous running, and they started to feel limp. Although I tried to force them to move, I was losing speed rapidly. My threats didn't have any effect on the dog and he was getting closer and closer. I put every tiny bit of energy I had left into the legs, but the muscles began to feel sorer and sorer. I was reaching my limit, but I vowed to keep running until the bitter end. But the end came faster than I expected when I felt strong arms wrap around my body from behind to embrace me.

I tried my best to escape from the embrace but my body didn't respond to my command. My hands loosened up and fell down. My whole body calmed down and I froze to that spot. I didn't feel the pain in my legs anymore, and I could force small movements, still struggling to break free with my legs, but soon even my legs froze up.

The embrace was so strong and protective at the same time. It felt like Saito was forcing all of his power just to keep me in the embrace. I smelled Saito's scent and suddenly I started to forget all of our problems. But even though my body was certainly at ease, my mind couldn't join my body yet.

"Let m-me g-go you i-insolent, foul b-beast," was the only phrase I could mumble, but the embrace just got stronger and stronger. My eyes were closing up and a hint of a smile appeared on my face. The blissful feeling was overtaking my body and I started to savor the moment. Saito noticed this development and released his hands from my body. I was finally free, but my legs didn't move, almost as if they had been nailed to the ground. He placed his hand on my shoulders and slowly turned me around to face him. I could see the seriousness in his eyes and it felt like he was looking straight into my soul. "J-just l-let m-me go!" I stuttered, but my heart clearly didn't want that, and my lips were going towards his lips. Then suddenly a spell floated me away from Saito and I didn't know if that was a blessing or a curse.

But clearly the biggest problem was whether or not I could forgive Saito again. I didn't know the answer, but I knew I had to find a solution soon because I couldn't handle these stressful emotions for much longer.

I saw all the heirs of the renowned noble families here but at the moment my mind was in chaos and I couldn't just consider the situation. Luckily, my room was so close, so I could just open the door and escape the situation for the time being.

Saito was walking back toward the place that he came from, but when he passed by the nobles, he raised his voice and said with a really serious tone: "A word of warning to everyone who is here. I can be a really jealous guy and I make it clear to all of you that no one is stealing the love of my life-Louise-away from me."

After that there was silence as Saito walked towards his room, and as I walked to my own door my heart was throbbing in my chest.

**Somewhere in the country of Albion**

All the listeners applauded for the turban-headed man as he sat down, and then the other figure with a purple cloak stood up and studied everyone in the room. When the cheering was over, the man started to speak.

"Thanks to the Strategist for the introduction, and for recapping our plan to the fields of glory and honor. But now is not the time to calm down and fool ourselves that we are invisible. We have the advantages, but the game can turn around even within seconds. Imagine a tower which relies on eight stone bases. If you remove one or two the tower can still stand, but it becomes unreliable. The tower will definitely fall if you take too many bases away. In the current situation the tower has become shaky and the people who live in the tower are noticing that something is wrong. So what are our options in this situation?" The man's voice was powerful, but at the same time calm.

"Either terminate those who start to investigate, or destroy the possibilities of investigating," a man's voice replied to Alexandros.

"Exactly. And that is the reason we are sending a spy to the center of the storm-the magical academy. The headmaster there is the leading investigator of the history and void magic, and it's rumored that there is a huge library of books underground. The mission is clear: to locate the materials they have and spy what they have already figured out. After that you should try to escort the materials they have to us for further reviewing. Since anyone except Bane is occupied with missions, that honor will fall to your hands, Bane!"

"Yes, Sir! But I have a question: If I somehow get a really good chance to eliminate some researchers or void mages, shall I take the opportunity and slay them?" Said the man that from his height looked like an eighteen-year-old boy.

"The permission is granted, but remember this: don't underestimate them. They clearly have some resources, because they have located items and know some of the raw powers of the familiars. Your main mission is to gather information for us and to destroy the information that they have."

"Yes, I understand, Sir."

"Good. And don't call me 'Sir' anymore. Just Alexandros is enough. Now that the meeting is over, I wish good fortune for you brothers and sisters. Let's make our ideal future to come true! Remember that no matter what happens, our brotherhood will never abandon its members!

A huge clamor of cheering and clapping overtook the room for a minute, and then everyone left to their own ways. But how much longer would the calm last before the storm would start?

**So that was the chapter three. Did you like it or hate it? Let me know and write a review so I can improve. Also, I would love answers to the question I asked at the start. Thank you for reading my story so far, and until the next chapter, this is it. **


	4. The Calm Before The Storm

A/N: **I am sorry for the wait but things have been quite hectic for me for a while. This author's note will be short because I'm trying to finish the next chapter as soon as possible. But until the next chapter comes out…hopefully you will enjoy this one. **

Chapter 4

The Calm Before The Storm

Somewhere Near Tristania's Royal Castle

Two men were walking straight to Tristania's capital city. The road they used was covered in sand and it was full of little gravel rocks. There were crop fields all around the small road and you could feel the gentle breeze of wind. You could see the morning dew on the plants and hear the peasants who were about to arrive for work in the fields.

But it was clear the men were not interested in the natural surroundings around them. From time to time they would take a small look around and then return to watching straight in front of them. It felt like they would be scared to see something. They walked in silence and the only noises came from nature. Then the younger man clearly wanted to break this brooding silence and struck up a conversation with his companion.

"There was no need to escort me safely to Tristania, my lord," the young man said to his companion. Both men wore a cloak that looked the same except for the colors. The younger man's cloak was an autumn blue, while the other's cloak was burning red. There was a few seconds of silence before the man with the red cloak answered the younger man.

"Underestimating your enemy and being overconfident about yourself can turn your road in life into a dead end, Bane. Even the mightiest warriors have fallen victim to those traps. The shadowy times are coming towards us and we have to prepare for the worst.

"Please forgive my rudeness, Lord Alexandros. Clearly I wasn't thinking this matter through thoroughly before, but now my eyes are opened at last," Bane said; even though he tried to sound as casual as possible, his tone might have leaked some adulation.

The farmers were returning to their fields to start their daily morning workload. It was clear that some parts of the fields were growing well while some other parts were suffering from several hardships. Bane spotted a small girl with something peculiar. Her hair was pitch black. That color reminded him of something, but no matter how hard he tried to figure out what it was in the end he couldn't remember. But as the older continued to speak his thought of the little girl and her hair color flew away.

"No need to apologize for such a trivial matter. Have a good look around you and pay close attention to what you see. You see the workers who are doing their best to protect these fields against many threats. They have planted the seeds that will decide whether they can enjoy the massive harvest or cry over ruined fields. The weather, insects and crop diseases can strike almost any time and in order to prevent the destruction they have to work as hard as they can to save their economy and carry the crops' growth to fruition," Alexandros spoke with a quiet, yet powerful voice.

"Our Brotherhood has also planted a seed with every member. Therefore, every member is really important because one plant doesn't make a field. But when all of the plants start blossoming the flowers of a new world order will bloom. And the bouquet will become the most beautiful group of flowers to ever bloom in this world. So, is your mission clear, Bane? Soon we will arrive at the destination and when we do your mission starts. Are you ready?" His voice was flowing with determination and firmness.

Bane dropped his hood and let the wind dance on his face. You could see the glow of ambition in his eyes as he gazed straight ahead. Maybe there was a hint of uncertainly, but still, his serious look gave the impression that he was well prepared.

"Yes, I understand the mission and I will carry it through to the end, whatever may happen. I will succeed with my part and bring glory to our brotherhood!" Bane said and nodded his head.

"Good," Alexandros said and laughed with a really loud voice, drawing attention from the farmers to the strangers in their midst. They muttered something about how people were crazy sometimes, and complained about the work ethic of people today. If the farmers had known what those people were after they probably would have been too scared to criticize them.

They were only a few minutes away from their destination and you could see the enthusiasm on Bane's face. He thought he was prepared for everything that life could throw his way. But the world works in miraculous ways and that poor boy had no idea what fate was bringing to him.

At Tristania's Royal Castle – Saito's Bedroom

Saito's POV

I woke up and felt like I had not got any sleep at all. My head was still blurry and I almost fell asleep all over again. The sun shined right at my eyes, almost like it was telling me to get up and get prepared for the day. I got up from my bed and started to dress while waiting for my head to clear up. The images from yesterday were running in my head like a rollercoaster and the events of yesterday felt quite unreal.

But as I opened the window and glanced outside I saw how the clouds were fading away and the sunshine was dancing onto the gardens of the castle. I put on quite a show yesterday and it still brings a huge grin to my face. It was such a shame you couldn't see the long faces of the snobby, dumbfounded aristocrats. Snobby bastards got what they deserved.

But I should probably still be on my guard. New dangers could be lurking right around a corner and strike when I least expect them. Or that was what Julio kept saying to me yesterday while he warned me not to do anything stupid. It is pretty amusing that a man who can do almost anything to get people's attention is giving me a lecture about not doing anything stupid. But maybe women have slapped his "handsome" face too much and he is just willing to share his experience with me.

But the size of this bed chamber never ceases to amaze me. Do they expect that guests will play soccer in here? All the furniture looks just like what you would expect to see at a royal castle. The bed is king-sized and has all kinds of accessories you could ask for – from the ceiling to the elegant silk beddings. Somehow I still couldn't get used to this atmosphere. Although everything was so valuable and impressive, they lacked something I found comforting. I just couldn't relate to this massive amour of luxury, as it felt so forcefully done. Or maybe the room just kept reminding me of Louise and that's why I felt this uneasy feeling.

But then again, why was I paying such close attention to this room? Shouldn't I try my best to overcome this situation as soon as possible, or something like that? This is a pretty humiliating thing to say, but I've had some bad experiences with wandering in strange, huge-ass houses while searching for the right room. Last time I got lost and ended up choosing the wrong room. By the consequences I got a beating-TWICE.

But suddenly someone knocked at my door. The person knocked with a rather small amount of power, so I figured it wasn't Louise. I let out a small sigh and then yelled for the person to open the door. The visitor appeared to be one of the nobles I met yesterday. Just a second ago I thought about having a peaceful morning thinking over the whole matter. Now that seemed like a distant dream. In the worst case I have to spend my whole morning listening to the blabbing of this noble. Even rocks would be better and more enjoyable company to talk with me.

"Good morning, Hiraga-dono. I am pleased to meet you in person," He started with a formal tone. The blabbering, cheesy monologue was about to start. I could tell it right away when he opened his mouth. Someone please knock on the door and save me!

But it was dead quiet in the corridors and as a result, I was doomed to stay in this room with this burdensome aristocrat. Louise had taught me how to speak respectfully with nobles, but although I was from Japan, it felt quite absurd to respect a guy who practically wanted to steal my girlfriend away. Ok, maybe we aren't an official couple yet, so she could go out with anyone, but clearly I was the only one for her. Then I saw the noble studying me with his eyes, clearly waiting for my reply.

"Good morning to you, too, Noble-san. May I ask what gives me this pleasure to meet you this early in the morning?" I said with a voice that held a combination of formality and boredom. Using formal speech with people who haven't earned my respect in any way was pretty hard, but keeping it up was likely the best way to avoid further conflicts. No one can tell when those elite nobles will get angry and declare a duel for the sake of "honor." Dueling in the early morning with a noble who is filled with the ambition of tarnishing your name is obviously not an ideal way to start your day.

"May I please introduce myself first? I am none other than the second born of the renowned Artemisia noble family. Our family has a long line of excellent mages and we are clearly one of the most important noble families of Tristania. As for myself, I go by the name of Arthas." Yes, he was one of the worst of those honor-obsessed nobles. Introducing his family status first and his name last. But he had no intention of stopping there. He continued blabbering.

"Yesterday you were honored by the letter we sent you. By seeing your face I assume you have read the letter and didn't appreciate our offer, but let me be clear and state the opportunities you have at your hand. When you came to this world you were only a mere peasant without any worth, but you have climbed up the ladders and now you have the chance to get somewhere that no one has gone in our entire history. A former plebeian like you actually gets a chance to acquire the throne of Tristania.

I was watching outside while he continued with his monologue. Those birds looked so free, having no speeches to hear. But the vulture here was going into overdrive as his speech continued. I tried the best I could to manage my irritation, but the anger kept bubbling inside me. When he stopped the speech and clearly waited for my reply I breathed slowly before giving him an answer.

"I couldn't care less about wealth, honor and power! I am here in this world because my heart is telling me so. I don't have any interest at all to become king. These feelings are the most important things for me at this time!"

"You are too naïve and short-sighed, Hiraga-dono! The world you lived in may have been different, but you are living in this world now and by this world's rules! Our society works by these standards, and our people here have accepted that! If you don't have status then you are nothing here! You have to understand that, Hiraga-sama!

"Screw those things! I am perfectly happy as I am and those things can't bring me any more happiness! I am going to live my life how I want to and not how your 'rules' are pushing at me! I don't respect those rules so why I should follow them?"

The flow of words was just about to erupt from my mouth like a volcano but a sudden change of events froze my reply. The catalyst was none other than my gorgeous Louise.

My first thought was that the priestess had come to save me from the hands of the demon. She looked abnormally beautiful this morning. She wore the traditional magical school uniform that contained a white blouse, black cloak, black miniskirt and knee high black boots. The cherry in the uniform was the golden necklace.

Now you might say that those clothes aren't anything fancy or special, but they fit amazingly well on Louise. My emotional response is like being punched by a boxer straight in the face. My eyes weren't following my orders and kept stubbornly watching Louise. The blush was rising in her face and she was turning almost too adorable. But after hearing Arthas coughing I broke away from my trance. He was walking towards Louise and my eruption was on its way again.

Louise's POV

The sneaking operation has been successful so far, since no one saw me arriving at Saito's room. I don't want any notorious rumors to start about me sneaking into Saito's chamber right at morning. Who knows what those rumors would do to my reputation?

I should strictly punish that dog for making me to come to his room. He seriously had some guts to put me through the effort of going to his room. I am not his familiar, so why do I have to do this? Stupid dog! But my heart ached the whole of last night; I couldn't stop myself from missing that lowly creature. I breathed slowly and went straight into his room. The scenery was not what I expected it to be.

There were two men in the middle of an argument, and I felt really out of place. But it was too late to go back now as they both had already seen me. I noticed how both of them started to stare me, but then Arthur, if that is his name, returned his glance from me back to Saito. Saito's intense stare was clearly going nowhere. I felt a blush appearing on my face as that primitive dog just kept staring me. He looked as handsome as ever and even though the staring was getting kind of embarrassing, it also gave me a blink of happiness.

Somehow my brain started noticing random facts from this room. Even though Saito has been living in this room only a couple of days he has been able to create quite a mess. Clothes are lying all around the floor joined by the beddings. Hah! I knew this caveman couldn't live by himself; he is so pathetic without his favorite master. I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn't notice what the other boy was up to….

General POV

While Saito and Louise were clearly lost in each other's appearance, Arthas thought it as a golden opportunity. He had not actually planned on doing something like this, but opportunity makes the thief. Before the two noticed he was carefully moving towards Louise and soon he was only a few steps away. But then suddenly a cough escaped from his mouth. He knew it was only a matter of seconds before Saito or Louise would react, so he had to figure out his next move fast. When a person who loves to gamble is given only a second to make a decision, usually he tries the most outrageous choice available.

"Lovely to meet you, Miss de la Valliere," he said with a chirping voice and a huge smile on his face. Then his hand founded its way to Louise's hand, and he, according to custom, kissed the back of it. But he got carried away because of the moment, and his lips were clearly aiming for Louise's counterpart. Only inches were between them when a powerful force knocked Arthas down to the ground.

Arthas stood up while maintaining eye contact with Saito. The killing intent radiating from Saito's eyes could have made even a grown man shiver with fear or even drop dead in his tracks. But Arthas' reputation as "Tristania's Nightmare" didn't stand for nothing.

"Don't touch Louise with your dirty hands, bastard," Saito said aggressively, and it was clear he was pissed off. "You were asking for a fight right from the start, so hopefully you are prepared."

"Can we make things more interesting before we fight? What if the winner can take Louise out on a date? I overheard Julio-san saying something about you liking to take his kind of bets," Arthas answered without breaking the eye contact.

"Did I say how much I hate your snobbish attitude? Looks like I'll have to teach you some manners, you gold-digging punk!"

Louise, who was still shocked due to the last event, was still staring at the wall. The red color on the wall was so overpowering. Almost like love.

Arthas disregarded Saito's verbally abusive comments and proceeded on to the battle. He threw a sword towards Saito who picked it up immediately. Saito couldn't think clearly anymore, he just wanted to stomp the aristocrat into the ground. The clash of the two looked unavoidable, but just before they were about to charge at each other, a calm yet powerful voice stopped them.

"This place is not suited for a battle! Drop your swords at once and put an end to this vulgar act!" the stranger said, and his tone of voice affected both of the men who were just about to start fighting. "I know there must be a reason for a fight, but now is not the right time for that, so calm yourselves down," The man proclaimed.

"You were lucky this time, Hiraga-dono! But your luck will eventually run out!" Arthas said with a frustrated tone as he started to make a getaway. He sidestepped Saito quickly, gave a very shocked Louise a kiss on her cheek, then smiled as he left the room.

It was a miracle that Saito was still standing still. The thunderstorm inside him was equipped with a thousand volts and his rage radiated all around him.

"Why did you interfere with my fight, stranger?" Saito asked the man, sounding really pissed off.

"I had to interfere because you were going towards your own doom and even forcing Louise to experience the same fate. What I am saying is that you were no match to Arthas on that stage. We are not playing a role-playing, romantic game here Saito! This is the real world, and you should snap out of your half-assed attitude and get a grip!" The stranger said to Saito, who was very shocked by the speech.

"Who are you, and how do you know my name? How are you related to Louise and what could you possibly know about my skill level? Saito asked cautiously of the stranger.

"It is my pleasure to meet you, Hiraga-Dono. My name is Bane Acord and I am here to offer my help to you two. Because the thing is…"


	5. Apology

Author's Note

As you might have noticed there have hardly been any updates lately and the story has not developed in quite a while. I am writing this Author`s note for three reasons:

First: To apologize for the slow updating.

Second: To explain why there has hardly been any updates.

Third: To inform you about the future.

Yes, at first I want to apologize to everyone who has put this story on his/her favorites, followed, reviewed or read the story. I have left this story up in the air for too long, and I am deeply sorry about it.

But there is a good reason for the slow updating; graduating from high school is getting really near for me and for the past months I had to sacrifice the majority of my time to study for the graduation exams. Due to the studying, I have had only a small amount of time to spend on the story. That is the reason for the slow updates.

But now, as I have completed the first part of my graduation exams, I am free from the massive amount of pressure and I can start writing again. So now there will not be long breaks between updates, at least for a while. Thanks very much for hanging with the story, even if the updating has been slow. I am going to do my best to get the next chapter done as soon as possible.

Thank you for understanding.

Sincerely,

AnimeRat


	6. The Sound Of Rain

**Authors Note: The updates are running late because of the enormous amount of work I have done due to graduation and family. The next chapter will come really soon. **

Chapter 5

**The Sound Of Rain**

At Tristania`s Royal Castle – Saito`s Bedroom

Saito`s POV

"The thing is that neither of you realize the danger of the situation you are entering. At this time the mouth might be closed, but when it opens you will face sharp, brutal teeth that will cut through you in no time. You two have no idea how traitorous the nobles of Halkeginia can be; they will make sure to put you through hell and then slowly tear you apart. But that kind of behavior makes me sick inside, so therefore I am offering my humble help to you. I want to repay the debt we owe you for saving our world, Saito and Louise-Sama."

I saw his eyes scanning through the room and couldn't help feeling a bit embarrassed because my room was quite a mess. My clothes were lying in scrappy piles on the floor. The beddings were in the floor instead of on the bed. Also, some of the furniture was clearly out of place. The room looked like a children's playground and that fact was clearly amusing Bane. I remembered times back in my world when I would chide my mother: 'My room, my mess!'

Yeah, I would love to see my family again. I could imagine my mother's shocked expression if she saw the mess I caused in this room. My father would try to soothe her while adding something like 'boys are boys.' In the end I would clean my room to keep the peace. I heard Bane cough and saw his eyes looking at me. He was right; my family had always told me that if I found something dear to cherish, I would have to make sure not to lose it. Now is not the time to drool over the future. Now I need to concentrate on the present.

But answering Bane was much harder than I thought it would be. He sounded so official and convincing. His eyes looked friendly, yet terribly observant. He felt almost like a principal. But he was still a guy under his wall of formality. His eyes had studied Louise like three times more than mine, and then he winked innocently at her. Maybe he was just another playboy after all.

"Just what do you think you are doing? Either you leave the room at once or stop flirting with Louise!" I said it with as strong and threating voice as I could. Although that guy might have helped me earlier, I had to make it clear for once and all. No one is allowed to touch Louise except me!

"Seems like I found the perfect way of breaking you from spacing out," Bane said in a joking manner. Then he continued, "If you allow me to be clear: my first and most important motive is to help you pull through this situation safely. But I guess it's best to be honest from the start…indeed, I am also looking for a special place in Louise`s heart. Consider this as an agreement between two aristocrats: you will get really advanced combat training for the price of me being allowed to be close to Louise."

Listening to Bane felt like listening to a professional judge. He stood so formally and steady. His eyes felt like hawk eyes. They were piercing through me, analyzing every fact of my body. When he spoke he sounded friendly and understanding, but at the same time very determined. Then I remembered that nobles usually undergo strict training in manners. This guy must have been an ace student. But then at the same time I felt an odd feeling in my stomach, so I watched Bane again and noticed his small smile and little nod.

Did he really just bring out an act like that? Would he really be so talented as to do so? As much as I tried to study Bane I did not find anything to support that assumption. But even if he was genuine, the deal he offered was not an easy decision to make. Bane looked like a really talented fighter, and even Arthas backed off upon seeing him. But was the power to be gained worth giving a hunk like him a chance to get close to Louise?

Common POV

Saito realized that he had not studied Bane properly and decided that was his first step in the search for an answer. The first thing Saito noticed was the enormous autumn blue cloak that covered his whole body from head to toe. Bane was about 5.9 feet tall and Saito could bet that his body was well toned. But it was impossible to say anything for sure because the cloak covered all the details of his body except his face. His hair matched to the cloak and he did have deep blue eyes. His nose was rather small, but his mouth and ears were like those of any average person. His hair color matching with the cloak's hood was clearly a planned combination. All in all he looked fresh-faced and was full of joy.

Damn, what an overproduced, clothing-shop, plastic dummy Saito thought jokingly before returning to his dilemma. But after he saw Louise`s concerned face, he kicked himself mentally for thinking in such a manner. Louise was clearly still consumed with the events involving Arthas, and she was looking towards Saito with eyes full of uncertainly and fear.

Saito moved a few steps to reach where Louise was and then he took her hand in his. Louise stared at him but couldn't get any voice out of her mouth. Saito noticed that and took it as a hint to continue with his scheme. So Saito pulled Louise towards him with his hand and then he used his other hand to embrace her. Louise gasped but didn't do anything. She was lost in the bliss of his touch. Saito had no plan to release her and continued to hold her close. Then he moved his hand to Louise`s chin and raised it gently so their eyes met.

Saito`s eyes were full of passion and love. It felt like they were trying to force their way out of Saito`s body. He looked like a researcher who had just got the result of a lifetime. He was eagerly leaning towards Louise and it was clear he was aiming for a kiss. The uncertainty disappeared from Louise`s eyes and joy took its place. Louise was loosening up, forgetting about the rest of the world in the process. Then their lips met and the gates of paradise opened. Neither of them wanted to leave this new wonderland, but even Alice had to wake up at some point.

Soon after, they somehow found their way back to the real world again. You could spot the huge smile of Saito`s while Louise's face held a little blush. Saito felt like he was the knight who had slain the dragon and was now holding the princess's arm. Then he remembered Bane, who was watching them closely. Saito chuckled because the surprise on Bane`s face was priceless, like a prince who had discovered his princess is really just a man dressed like a woman.

"Did I make myself clear enough or do I have to spell it out for you, Bane-san? I do realize the importance of combat training, but I can't afford to pay the price you want. Louise is the apple of my eye, and I don't want to share her with another hungry fellow," Saito said with a confident tone, then nodded towards Bane. Anyone could sense how he was fighting back the urge to kiss her again and escape this cruel, real world.

"Yes, I was able to get your point and I have to respect your choice. Because after all, I can relate to how you feel. Therefore I have no other choice but to abandon those conditions and ask you to accept my training for the last time. Does that sound good enough, Saito-sama? It will count as thanks for saving our world and as the lesson you gave me just now."

From that moment on Saito lost every hint of disbelief he had regarding Bane, and he smiled while nodding his head. Louise had also realized the situation, and her blush deepened. She started to unleash her demonic rage, forcing her way out of Saito`s warm arms. But it was easier said than done, because the blissful feeling wasn't disappearing. Her conflicting emotions felt like a boxing match between rage and bliss, where bliss moved like Mike Tyson, knocking out the rage.

Bane saw how the situation was developing and prepared to leave the love birds with each other. He had achieved his goals already and the only thing to do was to arrange the training session. Yes, he was basically training his enemy, but gaining his trust was an important maneuver. Also, he would have an advantage over Saito if they should battle someday.

"The faster we start the training, the better results we will get, Hiraga-kun. Should we arrange our first meeting for this evening, or do you have some plans already?" Bane said with a neutral tone; he didn't have to wait long for a reply.

"If you say it will be for the best, I guess I have no choice but to accept your suggestion," Saito said with a friendly tone and smiled.

"We will see each other this evening then," Bane said and nodded to the pair as he walked straight out of the room.

Now Louise and Saito were finally alone.

Louise`s POV

My mind was like an emotional horse-drawn carriage. It was going first uphill then downhill, never finding a road that would be straight. But one thing was clear; my familiar was embracing me and I could not get away from his arms. His appearance banished my furious feelings like a schoolbook would banish everyone who was on holiday. But then I remembered how untidy the room was and decided now was the perfect time to let him clean it.

"You should not allow your master to walk into a dirty room like this. Clean it up!" I said with a forced, casual tone and even I noticed that it was not really convincing.

"It can wait," Saito said with a powerful tone and looked straight into my eyes.

"But-" I tried to say, but Saito cut me off. How dare he?

"It can wait," Saito repeated and his grip tightened.

There we were in each other's arms while a comforting silence was taking over the room. Although I tried to say something, my throat felt like a desert and nothing would come out. I saw Saito`s charming eyes and my whole body relaxed. I lost myself completely in Saito`s eyes, and forgot the world around us. There he was; the gentleman that I had long been seeking. Then once again he captured my eyes before capturing my lips. The kiss was packed with passion and it tasted better than my favorite ice-cream flavor. It tasted probably even better than all the food Saito keeps mentioning from his world.

But as we both needed oxygen we had to break off from the kiss. Afterwards, Saito`s hand travelled through my hair quite a bit before he broke the silence. "You are beautiful, like a princess."

My face reddened up due to his compliment, and I started to think my cuteness was nothing compared to his handsomeness. Still, I could not allow myself to say that, so I managed to stutter out few words. "Saito, I-I`m n-not t-that cute."

"I guess you aren't cute then," Saito said with a smug grin on his face. What is the stupid donkey trying to do? Play with my feelings like they were mud? The vein in my forehead was growing and my hands adopted a 'fists' position. I dare him to play with me again like that! But the grin didn't disappear from his face.

"Because cute doesn't represent you at all. You are above beautifulness, Louise." Even though he used a clichéd line, my heart was racing like my sister, Eleanore, when filling out a marriage contract. The Dog`s cerulean blue eyes were so captivating and warm. Our hands were still wrapped around each other. He was leaning in for another kiss, but this time his face was full of lust. Utterly stupid dog is in heat again….

Common POV

You could say Saito tried his best to control his urges, but he still could not avoid the inevitable. Due to being pressured with emotional stress, being in contact with a significant other can easily push you for actions like that. Honestly, Saito tried to hold back the demons inside him, but in the end the angelic Louise just forced them to come out. His hands were already on Louise`s blouse and the first button was undone. Saito`s hands were clearly moving hungrily towards the next button. A perverted grin appeared on Saito`s face and he started to look like a gnome who had just found gold.

Those actions didn't go unnoticed by Louise, and she was storming with rage. Pissed-Off Louise is definitely one of the scariest things Saito has ever encountered. The radiation of raw wrath leaking from Louise made her look like a demon goddess. Saito felt the cold chills on his spine and noticed that hell had been unleashed. He tried to stammer an apology and beg Louise to stop. But his efforts had no effect on the demon goddess who was bestowing her punishment on the offender.

**EXPLOSION**

Saito`s POV

When I heard the word 'explosion' I instantly prepared for the worst. You could even call me somewhat like an "explosion specialist" because I have experienced massive amounts of them. But even though I have a huge amount of experience, I am only capable of minimizing the damage.

The shockwave threw me at the door and I started to automatically analyze the damage. Mainly, my legs were hurt and I felt a little bit of pain in my upper body. That explosion was not one of the strongest, although Louise`s anger did indicate a bigger explosion.

"You should be grateful for me, you horny blowfish. Your lack of self control makes me feel sick. How do you always let poison conquer your mind and turn you into a perverted monster? Can't you see how worried I am about recent events and how much I want to share them with you! But your small brains are only capable of thinking about s-s-s-sex and trying to take advantage of me when I am vulnerable! You just have the devil`s luck because we are at the royal castle and I don't want to cause a huge commotion!"

After saying that, she dashed towards the corridor, slamming the door so hard in the process.

Saito wanted to stop Louise so badly and apologize but found himself unable to move. He was just lying on the ground staring at the red wall. "Why does this always happen? Why the hell can't we understand each other? What am I supposed to do next?" Saito shouted in a frustrated manner.

The room was all messy, lonely, and definitely in need of repair…just like his heart.


	7. Preparing For The Storm Part 1

**A/N I don`t own Zero no Tsukaima. More notes coming within the next chapter : )**

Chapter 6

**Preparing For The Storm Part 1**

This particular room, which was usually filled with joy and happiness, was ominously quiet today. The room is where you could hear all kind of noises- from the happiness beyond words to miserable pledges of mercy. But today the room has been dead quiet. The old atmosphere felt like a gilded memory from the past. The room felt like a brittle skeleton under a shadow. But although the situation has been noticed by many passersby, everyone decided to leave it to its own devices.

Inside, the room was inhabited by a stony, bare and dry darkness. The sweet emotions of fortune were sucked out and wiped completely away. When you start listening closely, your ears catch a small, regular breathing sound. It's the only noise in the room. The room resembles a scenario straight from a horror film where you trap yourself in a cold and a dark room and think you are alone. In this case, the noise is not made by a mad murderer or some kind of ghost. The source is just a young man lying on the ground, staring absently at the ceiling.

Yes, when your eyes get used to the darkness, you are finally capable of noticing the shady figure lying in the middle of the floor. You probably move towards the conclusion that the body belongs to a boy rather than a girl, due to the vague hints of clothing and a hairstyle. But truth be told, it could also be a girl. Maybe you would find that person intriguing and you would hastily move towards the person in hopes of discovering something new. Or, would you rather just run away, screaming as loud as you can while hoping to find a getaway?

It looked like the gloomy aura prevented anyone from approaching the room, so the figure was all alone lying on the ground. No one has come by and checked the situation in the room during the day. The lonely figure lying on the rough floor stared at the ceiling, seeming to enjoy the depressing atmosphere. But if you looked more closely, you would see that he was suffering rather than enjoying. You could sense that something has completely devastated him, and he was unable to pull himself together.

But there he was, all alone, enduring this horrible suffering that was slowly crushing his spirit into tiny pieces and eating them in a gluttonous manner. But a blonde knight was approaching with his playful grin and a laid back attitude. That combination could either lead to complete disaster or a miracle of hope. The knight arrived in front of the door for the room in his blue cape. He didn't bother to knock; he just dashed inside in his straightforward manner. What he saw came as quite a bit of a shock, but he had come to help his friend and was not about to retreat.

Julio`s POV

Moments earlier

Today I witnessed something that you might call an once-in-a-lifetime event. Saito`s room has been dead silent, and no one has seen that goofy prince come out of his room at all today. When there were no changes under the sun, I started to get worried. What happened to the lover boy I know? Usually by now he should have caused at least one big ruckus, being the wild beast that he is. But there he was, alone in his room.

I realized that something must have gone wrong with Louise again. I have seen that Louise can probably be as sweet as a goddess, but don't let her deceive you. She is worse than a jealous dragon baring its fury. Maybe those moments are the reason why Saito can handle so many injuries on the battlefield and still keep on fighting. Maybe he likes unique training methods like that. But despite the lustful, spoony creature he can be, he also has a heart of a pure gold. It was just bad luck on his part to fall in love with Louise. Am I trying to downplay Louise because I can't get her? Maybe there is a little truth in that statement.

But why was he so down after today`s fight? You know that usually Saito was a little bit depressed, but soon after he would be as hyperactive as Kirche while trying to flirt with a fist full of handsome men. But today something went wrong, really wrong, and I decided to play the part of the white knight once again. I have two different colored eyes for a reason: one sees you, while the other sees your heart. One time Saito called me a Romeo…was that it? Well, this Romeo-san has to be really captivating to be compared to me.

As I was walking to Saito`s room, I couldn't help paying attention to the corridor`s decorations. There was an elegant red carpet covering the floor. The ceiling was painted with a snow-white color, and there were huge chandeliers bringing light to the corridors. The chandeliers were also adorned with all kinds of bling-bling stuff, or at least that was Saito`s opinion. The words he used always sounded so refreshing and funny that I started to use them, too. It's really funny to use words that you don't understand. The walls were covered by all kinds of paintings, from royal family portraits to nature paintings. The golden line within the wall followed you everywhere, and from time to time you could see some ancient symbols or the royal family`s coat of arms. The castle was clearly Halkeginia`s pride and joy because it was lavishly decorated, from the corridors to the queens chamber. But soon I was distracted from everything other than Saito. I had arrived in front of his room, so I took a deep breath and entered into the mouth of the dragon.

Saito`s POV

I have no idea how long I have been lying on this lifeless floor, staring at that colorless ceiling. I lost my sense of time long ago, and why should I bother to check it? This dreary darkness is sucking out every bit of my will power, but I don't have the power to fight back. Like a mindless puppet I am lying here, being abducted by the chilly atmosphere of the room. Even though the room was really dark, the real darkness dwelled in my mind. I fought back with all my might, but the darkness didn't go away this time, so I started to get used to it. The thought of losing Louise and ending up being completely alone haunted my mind, and I didn't have any fuel to fight back.

Why do we always end up in situations like this, even when time is as critical as it is now? Is this some sort of proclamation about the future…that we can never establish our path together? Why can't she even try to understand me? And why do I always end up in a mess like this? Is this really the life I want? Could this really be "true love," or whatever they call it? Am I making the right choice here?

All those questions were spinning inside my head and I was feeling devastated. Usually, I would just discard our fight and the situation, but now I was trapped in its deadly web. Where are all the answers? Right now the only thing I see is the blunt, colorless darkness in this room. The floor was probably badly damaged and the furniture was knocked down. That awful mess didn't help at all, and I was falling deeper and deeper into a depression. Just what should I do?

Then I realized that I am not the kind of person to fall into the land of worries. I was the laid-back, over-the-top guy who was making sure others didn't fall. But right now I couldn't find even a trace of those sides of me. This was getting so frustrating because those cheesy lines I keep repeating weren't working for me at all. And even if I do manage to get through this time, will I find myself in the same mess tomorrow? And who knows where Louise is right now.

For a second I thought those words held magical power, because right after I thought of Louise the door burst open. The door that had trapped me in this darkness was finally open. The lightning sparkled into the room and colored it. The chains of sorrow were still around me, but they were getting lighter.

The newcomer lighted the massive chandelier and the whole room was covered in light once again. I sent a hopeful glance to identify the visitor, but my face fell when I didn't see Louise there. I saw the man who probably thought he was the best physiologist in Halkeginia. Though he probably doesn't even know what that means.

Common POV

As Julio dashed into the room like a gladiator full of determination to cheer up his friend, he noticed the situation there. It was worse than he thought and he was silent for a couple of seconds. They stared at each other silently for a couple of seconds, and the atmosphere was getting pretty awkward. Soon the blonde troublemaker collected himself and started to speak with the "sexy voice of charisma". Or at least Julio named it like that.

"Guess you could not tame the dragon this time, Mr. Knight. Were you trying to seduce the princess again and suddenly she turned into a dragon? Such a rough luck you have Saito-kun." Julio started the conversation in a playful manner and waited for a response. The man stared at him with a bit of a mean look, but then turned back into an emotionless zombie.

Julio's eyes studied the room and confirmed the fury of the demon goddess. The room was seriously in need of repair. The floor was damaged and most of the furniture suffered a severe modification. The clothes and beddings were scattered among the broken mess, and the whole thing looked like a house after a party with Julio. After checking the condition of the room, Julio wanted to make sure Saito was okay. The dark-haired prince of angst clearly looked like he was physically fine, but no one can say about his emotions.

But although Saito showed little reaction to Julio`s speech, he was not planning to give up. Julio knew that this was not Saito`s ordinary behavior and someone had to break him from it. And what would be better than a charming gentleman to do the job? Surely enough, Julio was a dragon master and he could help Saito with this dragon.

"I have a good hunch what happened here, and I know how it must hurt, but just think about who you are! You are the most over-the-top, stubborn guy in Halkeginia! You are the guy who has endured so many hardships that would turn a normal person into an emotional wreck already. Something like that can't kick you out of the game, Saito! No one can be a hyperactive, clueless, furry lion like you!

After Julio finished his lecture he was clearly impressed with himself. Saito shifted his eyes to Julio. Even he registered some part of the speech and couldn't help himself commenting about it.

"That is not helping at all!" Saito yelled, extremely frustrated. Julio felt a little relieved after he heard Saito`s outburst. At least he is not a complete emotionless mummy anymore. Saito was still lying on the ground, but his facial expression had changed to annoyance that beamed from his face.

"I have been trying to think like that for ages now but it doesn't help at all. Should I reset myself like nothing happened just to make everyone around me happy? It might have worked earlier, but now its feels like I am betraying myself. Just how should I proceed in this freaking situation?" He yelled to the blonde boy with a frustrated tone while maintaining eye contact.

Julio took a deep breath before answering. He had to buy himself some time because although he bragged about how experienced he was, if truth be told, he was less experienced than Saito. Luckily for him, Saito didn't know that. Julio decided to go with some cheesy lines and hope for the best. Charming smile, check. Hellaciously sexy voice, double check.

"Saito, in situations like this you should listen to your heart. Your heart will guide you-." He was stopped when Saito interrupted him with a bored tone.

"Are trying to be some kind of cliché advice encyclopedia? You are as creative as Guiche when he got caught with double dating." Julio was speechless for a moment. That Guiche comment was really mean, because Guiche`s reasoning is as absurd as you can get.

Julio managed to collect himself and started to search for a better way to solve the matter. Saito was in a much darker mood than he thought, but there were glimmers of hope. So the inexperienced, self-proclaimed helper decided to fire a second bullet.

"You know, Saito, from when I first met you I have always admired your unthinking attitude. You kept moving from event to event and no matter what happened, you worked it out. You knew what your values were and you lived according to them, discarding everything that tried to slam you to the ground. I always admired your hot-headed and forward personality because you always looked so strong. It seemed like you were the invincible hero of Halkeginia that shined like a sun and burned through your foes.

"But no matter how much the legendary hero you are, life will hit you stronger than anyone. Life will knock you to the ground and you are stuck there like Malicorne when begging someone to date him. Right now you are surrounded by a situation where everyone is trying to put you down! They want to control your life and tell you what you should do! They want to destroy your values and try to make you stop believing in yourself!

"Saito-kun, sometimes you can't just avoid the hit or hit back. You have to endure and face the hits. Life is not about never getting pushed to the ground, but to get pushed down and rise from there. You must be willing to take the hits and continue moving forward. Those nobles are trying to make you live your life their way, but you know you can't do that! They will surely place a thousand hardships in your path, but you are the most positive, stubborn and hot-headed person in Halkeginia.

"You are the most fearless man there is! What did you do when Louise sent you back to earth because she didn't want you to die? You come back and saved everyone, despite putting yourself in danger. You were the one that gave us the confidence to go on with our lives. You fell in love with maybe the most devilish, sadistic princess there is; and no matter what happened you stayed pure to your feelings! Right now you are on the ground, helpless…but the Hiraga Saito I know would find his path and overcome this mess. You have to decide: are you willing to take hits or are you going to give up? Do you want to end up as a sore loser when someone else claims your beloved?"

Saito watched Julio with eyes full of surprise. Did Julio just pull that kind of speech out of his sleeve, just like that? What did this guy do to the witless monkey? Saito was not the only one who was shocked. Julio himself was a little bit amazed by his speech. He didn't mean to sound like an overdramatic teacher, but he still ended up sounding like one.

But this unexpected outburst clearly effected Saito, who was now rising up from the ground. His mind was still buzzing and rolling around, but at least he stood up. He still looked at Julio with a speechless and astonished facial expression.

Finally, Saito opened his mouth and let the words come out. "Who are you, and what did you do with that chicken-brained womanizer? Or are you really a perverted, eighty-year-old man under the effect of a transform spell so your warped soul can feel alive?"

"I love you, too, Mr. Helpless Lover Boy. I know it's hard for you to accept the fact that I am more awesome than you are. But don't worry, jealously is a part of life," Julio said playfully and winked an eye.

"I bet your brains couldn't even handle half of the stuff you were saying because you can get so complicated. But we are talking about you here, so I must admit it was pretty impressive. Guess there is something more than just air in your head," Saito teased Julio.

"Are you trying to be an ice king or something? Because you try to act as cool as possible. But you don't have anything to be shy about. Just accept that I am the most charming and intelligent man in Halkeginia and you are doomed to be my idiotic friend," Julio responded.

Saito told him, "You are as cool as a snow man during a hot summer day. Too bad no one has ever seen a snow man in the summer."

"Saito-kun, I know you love me so much that you have to keep teasing me to get my attention, but maybe we should think about your apology to Louise."

Saito froze up again. Julio shot him again with a freezing cold bullet. But once again this shallow-minded blond was right. Saito knew he couldn't leave things like that for long because there were too many fish looking for a bite. His mind was not in order and so many questions lived there unanswered. But the exact moment Louise was mentioned he forgot all the other problems almost completely. His whole body was aching and he knew he had to do something soon.

"If you don't have an answer now we shall meet again in the evening and stick our wise heads together to find a solution. Does that sound good to you?" Julio asked, clearly expecting an agreement from Saito.

"I am sorry but I already have plans for the evening," Saito answered, so Julio raised his eyebrows. He nodded to Saito, wanting to hear more. "You know Bane, right?" Julio nodded. "He offered to train me and I thought that the extra training would come in handy, so I agreed. Our first training session will be tomorrow evening, and besides, I am really pumped for a workout anyways."

"Then I have no choice but to accompany you and join your little training sessions. I can't afford some other dude getting too close to my best friend, you know," Julio said with a smirk on his face. Saito was about to complain, but the blonde flamen was already at the door. "See you tomorrow evening, lover boy," Julio said before he made his exit from the room. On the way out he sent a flying kiss to Saito.

'Today is getting even weirder as it moves forward,' was the only thing Saito could think. The jolly, light-hearted blonde guy turned into a teacher for a second and then turned back into an idiot. It was really freaking Saito out that Julio could pull something like that out of his sleeve. What had the guy been drinking? Probably something that raised his intelligence.

Tristania`s Castle`s Training Fields

Common POV

Saito arrived a little early at the training grounds and he couldn't see a single person there. The training grounds were located behind the castle and they were just what to expect from the Royal Family. There was a huge sandy arena for sword battling and you could see all kinds of practice dummies and shooting marks around the field. It was really a warriors dream, but you could see that it was not an official army training area.

Saito breathed in the pure air and couldn't believe how refreshing it felt. The air terminated the tiredness of his body and he was pumped up once again. He could see some enormous trees, enjoying the atmosphere as well. The flowers looked very bright. The beautiful view sucked Saito into it and he started to feel alive again. But no matter how beautiful the view looked, he knew someone who could outshine the garden mercilessly.

But the silence didn't last for long because although Saito thought that Julio was just joking about joining his training session, Saito saw the blonde-haired prince approaching with a playful smirk.

"Yo, Saito-kun."

"Guess there was nothing that could stop you from coming here," Saito stated, defeated, so he decided to accept his odd partner for the time being.

"Of course, I heard Bane is also sharing some good flirting tips," Julio laughed. Saito was also a little bit amused and the hint of a smile appeared on his face.

"No flirting tips will help you because you are one moving disaster," Saito answered and Julio tried his best to make a sad face.

Then they both heard a familiar voice behind them. It belonged to their future sensei. The voice was calm and you could sense a little bit of amusement in it. The excitement was dancing in the air as their training session was about to begin.

Saito`s POV

My stomach started itching from excitement when I heard Bane's voice. Finally, I could see what this man was all about. He sounded so convincing when suggesting a training session, so I just had to accept his offer. Extra training can never hurt you. Also, fighting without Delfringher has proven to be really hard for me.

"I was expecting only one student, but I guess the rumors spread fast, even in the castle," Bane said while flashing a smile. "I guess there is not much of a choice if he is your accompaniment, Saito-kun."

"Yes, I am a really good friend of that dark-haired lover boy, and it's my pleasure to be under your guidance," Julio answered with a smile before I could open my mouth. I decided to be quiet and go with the flow of events.

"I see how you are excited for some fighting-style, combat training. But I am afraid I have to disappoint you, because I didn't plan on any combat training for today. I thought that we should start our training by extending our knowledge of the situation. Now you might wonder what the point of examining the present situation is. Believe me: you have to be fully aware of the settings to be able to take the right countermeasures. Sometimes you can't win with pure strength alone. To win against an enemy, you have to know them first."

I was a little bit unsatisfied about the current training plan, and I was not sure if my brains could handle any more information with their current state of chaos. But I could see that Bane was going nuts with his plan, so I thought it was better not to encourage him to tell the exact reason why it was so important. I nodded and saw that Julio was also listening very intensely, almost as if he feared missing something life changing.

"As you probably know, this critical situation affects both you and your beloved. Do you have any idea about what kind of people you are facing?"

"I know there are powerful nobles after us, but I don't really know about their identities," I answered truthfully.

"Exactly how I assumed you would answer, Saito-kun. Yes, the nobles are the main force oppressing you, but you can't really put all the nobles into the same group. There are some small fish after you, but what should worry you more are the higher-ranked noble families. They have the wealth and power to actually proceed with their plans," Bane made his assessment as both Julio and I listened to him quietly.

There we were at the empty training grounds listening to this guy who claimed to be our teacher of some sort. It was not the type of training I was expecting, so I didn't really know if this would be useful or not.

"There have always been conflicts between noble families who have competed over their amount of power. The most long-running schism is between the oldest noble families, and there has been no sign that it will cease. At this time, the highest title under the Queen is the Archduke, and four noble families have this particular status. They all have high political influence in Tristania, but at the same time, they have to share the power with many other people.

"Three of the families that own the status of Archduke are interested in an even higher status. That would give them supremacy over the others, and their influence would rise in the nation. The problem is that your beloved Louise has been sucked into this wicked power game that she has no part of. The noble families see that the power Louise holds can give their family a status boost that they couldn't achieve by any other means."

"Those sick bastards! How dare they think of using Louise like that?" I yelled with an angry voice. Then I realized what I just did and a little blush appeared on my face. The notion of other people using Louise was sickening, and just thinking about it made my blood boil.

Both Bane and Julio were taken aback by my sudden outburst, but they nodded their heads in agreement. There was a quick silence until Bane decided to speak up again. "Yes, they practically see her as a person that could bring the keys of success to their hand. They are wasting no time in trying to pursue her and in pressing you to give in to their reasoning. But not all the noble families want to add Louise to their family. Some of the nobles consider her as a threat to the society so they want to eliminate her. There are even rumors some nobles want to abduct Louise and force her to give birth to a successor in the hopes of acquiring the skill of void magic.

"Sadly, the three noble families that are most dangerous represent all of those actions. The Artemisia family wants to get Louise married to Arthas. The Bargeron family wants Louise dead before she causes some kind of commotion that will create a shift in political powers. And the rumors say that the third Archduke family of Maltache wants to commit the most vulgar option available."

After Bane finished I was completely outraged. I felt the flames bursting inside my body and the steaming rage was seeping outside. But at the same time, my head was as clean as a first snowfall. Some of the questions still remained unanswered, but the fire in my body had reminded me of exactly who I was living for. Louise, I love you so damn much!


	8. The New Beginning

Like a Phoenix this story will rise.

Being in ashes way too long.

But now the time is near

The wings are folding again

Soon the story will fly again.

The Mysterious Ring will continue soon. Thanks to everyone who supported or was involved in the story so far from the bottom of my hearts. The ride will continue soon? Hopefully you are ready!


End file.
